Double index mechanism



5 Sheets-Sheet l.

. INVENTOR, l/STAFF?. APPELBER@ G. R. APPELBERG DOUBLE INDEX MECHAN I SM Filed Feb. 24, 1936 mmm `u July 13, 1937.

A im July 13, 1937. G. R. APPELBERG 2,086,888

DOUBLE' INDEX MEcHANIsM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2A I Filed Feb. 24, 1956 I 1N V EN TOR.

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GUSTA): R. APPELBER@ BY fw v f, A??

RNEY 2 July 13, 1937. G. R. APPELBERG DOUBLE INDEX MECHANISM s sheets-sheet 3 Filed Feb. 24,

IN VEN TOR. Gus TAF R. APPELBER@ 50 mechanism of Figure 2 taken Patented July 413 1937* PATE NT OFFICE DOUBLE INDEX MECHANISM Gustaf R. Appelberg, Bridgeport, Conn., assigner y to The Bullard Com Connecticut l Application February 24 20 Claims.

This invention relates to machine tocls and particularly to selectively operable means for con- .trolling movement of an element of the machine -m synchronism with other operations thereof.

The mechanism, by which selection and control of movements of elements is eiected in accordance with the present invention, may be variou'sly designed and arranged to adapt the same to the needs of any particular construction with which it may be associated. However, as applied to a multiple operation machine tool, the invention may be used to cause a work carrier lto move, or index, either once`or a plurality of stations between successive machining operations. When so employed, the invention may embody means synchronized with the indexing mechanism forl initiating movement of a tool head at varying intervals in a time cycle of machine operations as desired. One of the objects of the invention is to provide simple mechanism for selectively varying the operation of a movable element of a machine tool. Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for altering the arc through Z5 which a rotatable Awork carrier of a multiple operation machine tool is moved between successive machining operations.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide means controlling movement of a tool head synchronized with the indexing mechanism and selectively variable to alter the timing of movements thereof. f

These and other objects and features of the invention will appear from the following description thereof in vwhich reference is made to the accompanying figures 'ci the drawings which illustrate a typical embodiment of the invention as applied to aimultiple spindle machine tool. In the drawings: Figure 1 is askeleton view of a portion of one Atype of machine. tool embodying thevpresent invention. i

Figure 2 is a detailed vertical sectional view y of a portion of a machine tool embodying a typ'- 5 ical form of the invention.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the construction illustrated in Figure 2 taken on the line Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the on theA line 4 4 thereof.v f While the invention may assume various forms, it is here described as applied to a multiple operation machine tool wherein feed works for feed- 55 ins and traversins movements or tom` heads are pany, a corporation of 193s, serial No. 65,409

(ci. esassi operated in synchronism with the indexing movement. In this construction, there is a Work carrier indexed periodically to move the work from an operating position beneath one tool head to an operating position beneath another. 'I'his indexing is effected by a rotatable crank arm carried by a suitable shaft preferably driven from a primary drive shaft-although it will, of course, be understood that movement of the carrier may be effected by any other suitable means desired.

'Ihe present invention provides control of the tool driving feed works by cams driven with the indexing shaft. The drive means for these cams includes selectively operable means for varying the position and speed of rotation thereof so that operation thereof occurs in the proper timed relation, either once in every indexing cycle or upon the completion ofa plurality of indexing cycles. Furthermore, the operations of the cams, or selective mechanism, may be altered to vary the time in the cycle at winch these operahons rare initiated to provide more, or less, time for the completion of movements of the clutches, switches, etc., as desired.

' The mechanism for effecting this selection preferably embodies two independent drives` for the cams, one of which is direct from the indexing drive shaft. and the other is eifected lthrough a train of gears to vary the cam speeds to give the desired timing, a manually operable clutch, or' other means being provided for selecting the drive connection used. 'Ihe cams themselves also may be rotated relative to the drive shaft when the clutch is in neutral position to change the location of the high spots thereon with reference to the drive shaft so that timing of the operations is advanced or retarded.v

While the invention is hereafter described as employed in a typical relation and as applied to one type of machine, the invention may be em- 40 bodied in other machines and in other relations Ato eiect selective operation and control of elements thereof.

, Referring to the drawings, the invention is applied to a vertical multiple spindle machine tool of the type describedin the application of E. P. Bullard, et a1., 'Serial No. 108,494, for Machine tool, led October v30, 1936. Two independently operable drive motors, A and B, are employed for the feed works; the motor A being a main motor for driving the feed works during feeding, and the spindles, as well as the indexing, mechanism, while the motor B is a high speed reversible motor for traversing the tool heads. -The con- 4 struction comprises a spindle carrier I0 movable 55 from onepositioneto another to bring spindles 2| and their work successively into operative positions beneath tool heads Il. An indexing ycrank arm I2, 'preferably located at the loading stationvof the machine beneath the spindle carrier, is carried by a shaft I3 having a gear Il secured to the lower end thereof and driven through an idler gear from an indexing driveI shaft I3 located centrally within a column I6. The crank arm, inrotating, engages the carrier I0 to index the carrier with a Geneva motion during a por# tion of its complete rotation.

During single indexing movements, each rotation of the crank arm constitutes a single indexving cycle, the indexing movement of the carrier taking place during only a fraction of the'rotation of the crank. 'I'he other part of the cycle is utilized for such functions as locking and unlocking the carrier etc., and for controlling the feed works to stop and reverse the traverse motor and to properly set the clutches. are controlled by indexing cams 3| and 32. In a double indexing operation, the cams are so set as to make only one revolution to the double revolution of the indexing arm and a variation in their position is established so as to alter they point in the cycle at which they operate to compensate for the increased momentum of the carrier by virtue of its double index.

The mechanism employed for controlling, the

operation of the traverse means and feed works clutches referred to is shown in Figures 1, 2,'3, and 4 of the drawings as comprising cams 3| and 32 formed upon a cam carrier 33 surrounding the indexing drive shaft I3 and freely rotatable "with respect thereto. The -earn 3| actuates a slidable rod 34 which acts, through a lever 35, to operate both a' traverse motor reversing switch 38 and a switch 31 ,to start and stop the traverse motor. In a similar way, the cam 32 operates through a rod 33 to actuate ashaft 39 by which feed works clutches 22 are operated, the details of the connection being shown in the application abovereferred to and forming no part of the present invention. Howe'ver, it will be apparent that additional cams may be used and the cams 23| and 32 may be employed. as desiredto actuate lother elements or devices or to perform other fimctions at predetermined intervals and in timed relation .with the operation of other elements ofthe machine; the feed works itself. being no part of the present invention, is only diagrammatically shown. Oneembodiment thereof is fully 'disclosed in the copending application .hereinbefore referredl to.

AsseeninFlgureiLthecamn hasasingle high spot Il positioned to cause the feed 'works clutches to lie-engaged, whereas the cam; '3| has twohigh spots'll and 42 to cause the switches 36 and 31 to be actuated at the beginning of the I indexing movement: and at the beginning of the machining operation,v -the high spot 4| serving to actuate e switch 31'to stop the traverse motor,

- and the h spot I2 serving tostart the traverse thefcam carrier at varying speeds, and the points -in the time cycle at which the elements Y. between operations may bc provided motor to move the tool heads down to their working positions to operate on the work.

Selective timing and control of the mechanism by the cams 3| and 32 may be obtained by drivcontrolled thereby are operated may beyaried by altering the position of the cam with respect'to its driveclutch. By such adjustments,

either single, or multiple, indexing of the carrier The latter shaft I5 to rotate therewith but slidable longi rtudinally -thereon. 'I'he upper face of the collar 50 is formed with one or more spaced teeth, or projections, 5| for engaging complementary spaced teeth on the cam carrier 33 to drive the cam carrier directly with the shaft I5. By neu- Itralizing the collar 50, the cam carrier may be rotated to position the cam carrier in a predeterf mined relation with respect to .the drive shaft and thus establish the positions of the high spots on the cams and the points in the time cycle at which the traverse means and feed works clutches are actuated. When the collar 50 is in up position, the cams are drivendirectly from the main drive shaft and in synchronism therewith for single indexing.

The lower face of the collar 50 is formed with similar spaced clutch teeth, or projections, 52 for engaging complementary teeth, or recesses, in a collar 33 loosely mounted on the drive shaft and formed with peripheral gear teeth for engaging a gear 34 secured to a shaft 55.' The upper end ofthe latter shaft is provided with a gear 53,.

engaging gear teeth 31 on an extension of the cam carrier 33 so that the latter will be driven through Vthe gears at multiple speed when the collar 3l is in its lower position as shown in Figure 2. Theprojections, ror teeth, 52on the recesses on the collar 53 are displaced from those.

by which drive is established between the collar ill and the cam carrier 33 so that the shaft i3 and collar 50 have to be rotated to permit engage- ,ment with thecollar 33, and the location of the high spots on the cams are changed .and the points in the timeI cycle, at which the traverse drive means and feed works clutches are actuated, are changed. Thus. by raising, or lowering, the collar 53, the cams 3| and 32 may be driven to operate the traverse and feed works mechanism 'in various timed relations with the operation oi' main drive shaft and the indexing crank arm. a

For singleindexing, there will be one rotation of the cams and carrier with every rotation Aof the crank arm and every indexing movement while the gears will be formed so that the'cam carrier ,and cams will be rotated only one half turn with each rotation of the crank arm and each indexing movement when double indexing is desired. s l

When operating with double indexing, the

lcams are rotatedv at only half the speed of the drive shaft I3 and the indexing crank arm and,

therefore, nfteen' degrees of cam rotation occupies thirty vdegrees of the time cycle. Thus,

- point in the alternate time cycles.

The operating means, by which sel on and control of the timing and operation of e traverse and feed works is effected inthe construction, lsliowrifin lFigures 1, 2, 4and 4, is in the ample time lis allowed for bringing -the spindles l and feed works to their operation speeds before' 'lol j laosascs form of a shaft 'having an eccentricpin BI in the end thereof provided with a roller 82 extending into an annular groove 63 in the slidable collar 50. Rotation of the shaft 60 for raising and lowering the collar 50 may be effected by means of a handle B4 removably secured to a reduced end '65 of the shaft 60 by a slotted connection as shown in Figure 4. Ordinarily, during operation' of the machine, the handle is removed and the collar 53 into lregistry with those on the lower face of the collar 50. In this way, the position of the carrier, with respect to the shaft, is altered'.

and thirty degrees of the time cycle are caused to effect fifteen degrees of movement of the cams. The collar 5D is then lowered to engage. the collar 53, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the handle 64 is removed and the cover 66 secured in place so that the end of the shaft is again concealed and unintentional change, ordisplacement, in the position of the collar '50 is prevented. Double indexing is thus provided very'quickly and easily and timing of the operations in synchronism with the drive shaft and indexing movement are altered as desired.

Any number of cams may be actuated in the manner described and they may be4 used to control the operation of any suitable mechanism in predetermined timed relation and sequence and the operation of the elements may be selectively varied as desired by adjusting, or reforming, the

ucams and the driving means therefor. The in-- vention `'may also be used in other relations and embodied in other forms of -mechanism as desired without departing fromXthe invention. In view thereof, it should be understood that the invention is-not limited in its application to the indexing mechanism of machine tools and that the form of the invention herein shown anddescribed is intended for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. v

Having set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. A multiple operation machine tool having a Work carrier, indexing means for said carrier, a tool head movable to operate upon work on said carrier, means controlling movement of said tool head operable in timed relation to said. indexingmeans and selectively operable means for varying the timed relation of said control means with respect to said indexing means.

2. A nultiple operation machine tool havingA a work ca rier, means for indexing said carrier,

a drive shaft for said means, a toolhead movable to operate upon work on said carrier, mechanism controlling movement of said tool head v.and selectively operablemeans for said control'- ling mechanism comprising alternative driving connections for said mechanism-and a clutch for engaging'either of said driving connections to provide alternative movements of said controlling mechanism in synchronism with said index drive shaft.

` 3. A multiple operation 'machine having a work carrier, means fo indexing said carrier,

a drive shaft for'said means, a tool head movable to operate upon work on said carrier, mechanism controlling movement of said tool head,

selective driving connections for actuating said control mechanism and a member rotatable with said drive shaft and movable to engage either of said driving connections.

4. A multiple operation machine tool having a work carrier, means for indexing said carriera drive shaft for said means, .a tool for op- 'eratlng upon work on said carrier, mechanism driven in synchronism with said drive -shaft for controlling operation of said tool and selectively operable means for varying' the speed at which said. control mechanism is driven including a member rotatable with said shaft, elements rc1 tatable with respect to said shaft and engageable by said member and means for inoving said member into engagement with either of said elements to drive said mechanism at different speeds.

5. In a multiple operation machine tool having a work carrier, means for indexing said carrier, a tool movable to operate upon work on said carrler and mechanism for altering the arc through which said carrier is indexed between successive.

movements of the tool to its operative position comprising two freely rotatable elements, gearing between said elements and a member driven in synchronism with said indexing means movable into engagement with either element to actuate the same.

6. In `a multiple operation machine tool having a work carrier', means for indexing said carrier,

a tool movable tc:- operate upon work on said car.

rier and mechanism for altering the arc through which said carrier is indexed between successive movementsvof'the tool to `its operative position ,comprising control mechanism for vsaid tool, two

independent driving connections for said mechanism and a clutch movabletc engage either driving connection.

7. In a multiple operation machine tool having a work carrier, means for indexing the carrier and al tool movable to operate upon work on said carrier, mechanism for altering the are through which the-carrier is indexed between successive movements of the tool to its operative position comprising mechanism for controlling movement of said tool, independent driving connections for said mechanism and a member driven by said indexing means movable into engagement with either of said driving connections.

8. In a multiple operation machine tool having a work carrier, means for indexing said carrier establishing a time cycle including one indexing movement in each cycle, a tool movable to operate upon work on said carrier and mechanism for moving said tool to its operative position at a predetermined point in either one or a plurality of time cycles, said mechanism being driven in synchronism with said means and movable to n movements of the tool to its operative position comprising cam actuated means controlling movement of said tool to its operative positi 10. In a multipleoperation machine t l having a work carrier, means for indexing the carrier and a tool movable tooperate upon worl on said comprising `a cam and alternative drivin connections therefor driven in synchronism with\said indexing means.

11. In a multiple operation machine tool having a'work carrier, means'for indexing said carrier establishing a time cycle including one indexing movement in each cycle, a toolmovable to operate upon work on said carrier and mechanism for moving said tool to its operative position at a predetermined point in either one or a plurality of time cycles including a. cm and' alternative driving connections therefor driven in synchronism with said indexing means.

12. In a multiple operation machine tool having a work carrier, means for indexing said carrier establishing a time cycle including one indexing movement in each cycle, a tool'movable to operate upon work on said carrier and mechanism for moving said tool to its operative position at a predetermined point in either one or a plurality of time cycles including control means driven in synchronism with said indexing means and an independent traverse drive forsaid tool actuated by said control means.

13. In a multiple operation machine tool having a work carrier, means for indexing said carrier establishing a time cycle including one indexing movement in each cycle, a tool movable to operate upon work on vsaid carrier and mechanism for moving said tool to its-operative position'at a predetermined point in either one or a plurality of time cycles including control means, sitema- .tive driving connections therefor driven in synchronism with said indexing means and an independent traverse drive for said tool actuated by -said control means.

14. A multiple operation machine tool havingia work carrier, means for indexing said carrier, a drive shaft for said means, a tool movable to oper'- ate upon work on said carrier, mechanism for moving said tool to its operative position and a selectively operable -meniberrotatable with said drive shaft for actuating said mechanism.

15. A multiple operation machine tool having a work carrier, means for indexing said carrier, a drive shaft for said means, a tool movable to operate upon work' on said carrier, .mechanism v for moving said tool to its operative position and a selectively operable -device -for actuating said mechanism comprising a cam, two driving connectionstherefor and a member rotatable with said drive shaft and movable into engagement with either driving connection.

16. A multiple operation machine tool having a work carrier, means for indexing said carrier, a drive shaft for said means, a tool movable to operate upon work on said carrier, means for moving said `tool'to the operative position and a selectively operable device controlling operaition tion of said mechanism comprising two driving connections therefor, a member rotatable with said drive shaft and movable into engagement with either driving connection 'and' selectively operable means for moving said member.

17. A multiple operation machine tool having a lwork carrier, means for indexing said carrier,

-a. drive shaft for said means, a tool movable tion of said mechanism comprising a cam, two

driving connections therefor, a member rotatable with said drive shaft and movable into engagement with either driving connection and selectively operable means for moving said member.

18. A multiple operation machine tool having a work carrier, means for indexing said carrier, a drive shaft for said means, a tool movable to operate upon work on said carrier, means for moving said tool to theoperative position and a selectively operable device controlling operation of said mechanism comprising a cam carrier rotatable 'about said shaft, alternating connections for driving said cam carrier in synchronism with said shaft and a member rotatable with said drive shaft for establishing a driving connection with either of said connections. y

19. In a multiple operationlmachine tool having a work carrier, `means for indexing said carrier establishing a time cycle including' one indexing movement in each cycle, a tool movable to operate upon work on said carrier and mechanism for moving said tool to its operative position'at a predetermined point in either one or a plurality of time cycles, including an independently driven traverse for said tool, a cam for actuating the same, alternative driving connections i ber of complete time cycles occurring between' successive movements ofthe tool to its operative position comprising a cam for actuating said' independent traversedrive, said cam being movablewith a carrier surrounding said driven shaft, two alternative driving connections for the carrier synchronized withsaid shaft to rotate said cam and carrier once with either one or a plurality of completed time cycles and a member rotatable with said shaft and movable to lengtg either of said driving connections.

GUSTAF R. 

